Luo Yilian stood by the rockery for a long time, only coming to her senses after the Duke of Ying and his guards had left.

But she was covered in cold sweat!

She had originally hidden behind the rockery with her maid after seeing Luo Yining approach, curious about what Yining was up to. Who would have thought she’d overhear such a thing?

Hadn’t her mother told her that Luo Yining was the daughter of a lowly guard? That her birth was too humble to deserve the status of a legitimate young lady?

But just now, the imposing Duke of Ying had clearly stated that Luo Yining was his daughter! His words expressed a strong desire for her to return with him. It made sense—the Duke’s household had no girls, and even Zhao Mingzhu was raised with such honor. How much more so for the Duke’s flesh and blood?

Yining was the Duke of Ying’s daughter!

No wonder the Duke had suddenly come to visit, and no wonder Father’s expression had been so strange. He had looked at the Duke with a mix of avoidance and fear of offending him, forcing a smile.

Luo Yilian’s handkerchief was damp with sweat. Her maid supported her worriedly, “Miss, weren’t we going to the flower hall…”

“What flower hall!” Yilian snapped in a low voice. “Quickly, come with me to Mother’s quarters, hurry!”

A phoenix egg had fallen into their home, yet they had treated her so poorly. Even if her birth wasn’t pure, given the Duke’s forceful manner, he would surely cover it up. Blood was the most precious thing, and with the Duke of Ying’s lineage, Luo Yining’s status would naturally be extraordinary.

The Duke doted on and protected his daughter. If he learned how his girl had been bullied, would he let them off?

Father knew about this but had said nothing, which meant he must have reached some agreement with the Duke. Yilian closed her eyes, recalling Uncle’s respectful manner towards the Duke at the table…

Concubine Qiao was in her room listening to a servant discuss young master Xuan’s recent affairs when Luo Yilian’s sudden entrance startled her.

“Why are you in such a rush?” Concubine Qiao scolded. “If your father sees you like this, he’ll surely reprimand you.”

Yilian’s face was pale and troubled, causing Concubine Qiao’s heart to sink. Knowing her daughter wasn’t usually so reckless, she asked, “What’s happened?”

Yilian looked up. “Mother, do you know why the Duke of Ying came?”

Confused, Concubine Qiao waved away the nearby maids before replying, “I’ve heard about it, but I don’t know the specifics.”

“He came to find his kin,” Yilian paused, watching her mother. “Do you know who he was looking for?”

Concubine Qiao had heard from the maids that the Duke was searching for a relative, but she didn’t know who. She had waited so long in the flower hall without seeing anyone. Could her daughter know?

Yilian found herself oddly calm as she continued, “The daughter he was looking for is Luo Yining. Yining… isn’t the child of some guard’s illicit affair, but the Duke of Ying’s daughter.”

Concubine Qiao nearly dropped her cup, barely managing to steady it. She stared at her daughter for a long time before suddenly standing up, her body cold all over.

It made sense… Right after she had exposed Yining’s identity, the Duke had shown up. And he had come to find his daughter! She had been so convinced Yining’s father was a guard that she never suspected the Duke.

Yining was the Duke of Ying’s daughter!

“How do you know this?” Concubine Qiao’s throat felt dry as she grasped Yilian’s hand. “Is it true?”

“I overheard the Duke talking to Luo Yining,” Yilian winced at her mother’s tight grip. “The Duke wants to take Yining back. He seemed to be asking if she was willing… and she agreed.”

Of course, she would agree. Who wouldn’t, upon learning their birth father was the Duke of Ying and that they should have lived a more noble life?

Yilian pushed away Concubine Qiao’s hand and gripped hers instead. “Mother, I saw Mama Zheng at the table today. Tell me, what exactly did you say to Father when you took that maid to speak with him? Father has suffered such humiliation. If he was misled by you, he’ll surely direct his anger towards you. And if the Duke learns how you treated Luo Yining, he definitely won’t let you off.”

Concubine Qiao panicked at her daughter’s words. What had she said? To make Luo Chengzhang despise Yining, she had said the most hurtful things she could think of.

If Yining was truly a guard’s daughter, it would have been fine. But she was actually of the noblest birth, yet had been insulted like this…

She blamed herself for acting too hastily in her desire to reclaim young master Xuan.

Concubine Qiao felt as if ice water had seeped into her heart, leaving her whole body cold. It took her a long time to regain her composure.

This situation wasn’t hopeless. Yining’s birth still had a flaw, and if the Duke wanted to protect her reputation, he wouldn’t dare spread it around. But what exactly had Mama Zheng told Luo Chengzhang? And what had the Duke said to him? She needed to know. The Luo family, bowing to the Duke’s power, would surely act according to his wishes.

Realizing this, Concubine Qiao didn’t waste a moment. She called for a maid to help her change clothes, intending to go to Luo Chengzhang immediately.

Concubine Qiao’s thoughts were indeed correct. The Duke had first used courtesy, then force. Having given Luo Chengzhang enough face, he was no longer being polite. By the afternoon, Luo Chengzhang had already explained to him why Yining had been moved to the side courtyard and why she had been treated so poorly.

Wei Ling, holding a cup of tea, sat in Luo Chengzhang’s study and said, “…I’ll come to take Yining tomorrow. Whatever she wants to bring with her is up to her. Lord Luo surely won’t object, will he?”

Feeling pressured by Wei Ling’s demeanor and recalling his elder brother’s words, Luo Chengzhang could only agree. It had been over ten years; what was there to resist? He had to focus on the present. Wei Ling was now showing him no courtesy, his words a mix of threats and inducements. How could he dare to object?

Thinking of the disreputable concubine who had dared to humiliate Yining, Wei Ling added, “I owe Lord Luo a favor. I hope Lord Luo will keep my daughter’s secret well. As for those who gossip recklessly, Lord Luo should be more cautious. If it weren’t for such talk beforehand, we wouldn’t have ended up in this unpleasant situation.”

Luo Chengzhang’s expression cooled slightly at the mention of Concubine Qiao.

After Wei Ling finished his instructions, Luo Chengzhang saw him out. Exhaling softly, he called in a trusted steward and said, “…Go inform the Seventh Young Miss that the Duke of Ying will come to take her away tomorrow. Have her pack her belongings. We mustn’t slight the Duke.”

Luo Chengzhang didn’t know that Wei Ling had already spoken with Luo Yining.

The trusted steward agreed, then hesitated before adding, “Master, Concubine Qiao is waiting outside… to see you.”

Luo Chengzhang’s face suddenly turned cold, a faint gloom settling over it. He nodded, “Call her in.”

He turned and walked towards his study, hearing someone enter behind him, lifting her skirts and closing the latticed door. The voice was as soft and coquettish as always: “This concubine greets the master…”

Before Concubine Qiao could finish, Luo Chengzhang suddenly turned and slapped her across the face.

Though a scholar, Luo Chengzhang’s strike was forceful. Caught completely off guard, Concubine Qiao stumbled onto a small table, her cheek stinging and burning with pain. A strong sense of humiliation washed over her.

Concubine Qiao didn’t raise her head for a long time. Her neatly arranged hair had been disheveled, and she covered her face, trembling slightly. She was both shocked and afraid, never having seen Luo Chengzhang so furious with her before.

Luo Chengzhang spoke coldly, “You still dare to come find me. Fine, saves me the trouble of coming to deal with you! Raise your head and look at me.”

Concubine Qiao dared not disobey and slowly raised her head to look at Luo Chengzhang. Feeling wronged, tears streamed down her face.

She was prone to crying, sometimes pretending, but often genuinely emotional. Luo Chengzhang usually pitied her when she cried, remembering the girl he had brought back from Yangzhou, whom he had personally taught to write. How could he not have felt tender towards her? But now he stood before her coldly, grabbing her chin without a trace of emotion: “How much of what you said that day was true?”

Concubine Qiao looked at him through tear-filled eyes: “Master, this concubine doesn’t know. I only came to pay my respects…”

“You said Gu Minglan went to stay at the temple because of an illicit affair, and that Mother fell ill because of Yining’s background,” Luo Chengzhang said slowly, his tone cold and hard. “Let’s not even mention Mother’s situation. How did Minglan treat you back then? You viper, how dare you twist the truth and slander her! Making me believe your lies!” He had been rendered speechless by Mama Zheng’s rebuttal. If not for Concubine Qiao’s earlier misleading, how could he have been so angry at Gu Minglan?

The girl who had once seemed so kind and innocent, like a pear blossom, had now become such a person under his roof.

“Master, this concubine truly doesn’t know if what that maid said was true or false…” Concubine Qiao’s lips trembled as she cried.

“You don’t know? She’s the wife of a clerk in your shop. How could you not know?” Luo Chengzhang sneered.

“Luo Yining’s birth father has come—it’s the Duke of Ying,” he said, gripping her chin tightly in anger. “I’ll tell you this directly, and I’ll tell you more. Wei Ling said that if anyone in the Luo family dares to reveal Luo Yining’s background, he won’t let a single person in our family off. Did you want to deal with Luo Yining? Well done, you’ve now turned her into the young lady of the Duke of Ying’s household. Are you happy now?”

The study fell deathly silent, with only Concubine Qiao’s soft sobs audible.

Whether Luo Chengzhang was truly angry or just venting his frustrations on her, Concubine Qiao didn’t know. She didn’t dare to accuse Luo Chengzhang of anything. Her ability to live well in the Luo family depended on Luo Chengzhang’s pity. No matter how angry or resentful she felt, she dared not show it in front of him.

But Luo Chengzhang’s words rang like a great bell, leaving her speechless for a long time.

In a sense, indeed, she had brought this about with her own hands.